Chasing tails
by Normal-is-Overratedx
Summary: She's not sure how she got here, or why she's here, but she gets out anyway, staring up at the sign in the parking lot. 'West Los Angeles Animal Shelter'. Or that one where Beca adopts a dog and Chloe works as a vet and Beca keeps coming in for the simplest of things and questions but she just worries too easily and maybe she just want a reason to come and see Chloe AU
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** _That moment you meant to write a one-shot but it ended up being five pages long and isn't even done. I am actual trash and I've been wanting to write this for a while so, here you go. Probably one or two chapters more of this._

* * *

In all of her life, Beca Mitchell has never owned a pet. As a child, she had asked for a puppy many times, but her parents always told her that puppies were a big responsibility and ultimately denied her. When Beca was seven and her dad left them without so much as a glance back, Beca stopped asking. She stopped asking for anything in general because her mother was usually never sober enough to register any sort of conversation and her father didn't spare her so much as a phone call. So Beca usually fended for herself.

The second she graduated high school, she packed her shit and left for LA, intent on making something of herself. She hasn't spoken to her mother in four years and her father- well, she hasn't spoken to him since she was seven. That all changes though, because on her way home from work, she gets a phone call from her father.

He spouts some bullshit about how he's met the love of his life and is getting married and he wants to 'reconcile' with Beca and help her get into college and he wants her at his wedding and Beca just feels sick. She tells him to fuck off and hangs up, hands tightening over the steering wheel as the familiar feeling of hurt and abandonment rush through her. She's twenty-fucking-two years old and if she didn't want to go to college when she graduated high school, she sure as shit doesn't want to now. She doesn't need his help - hasn't needed it or anyone else's in years. She can make her own decisions.

She's not sure how she got here, or why she's here, but she gets out anyway, staring up at the sign in the parking lot. 'West Los Angeles Animal Shelter'. Her eyes drift to the chalkboard just outside the door, reading over the loopy handwriting. 'Dogs and cats half off today!'. She frowns slightly, wondering why it sounds so desperate, but she guesses they need to keep animals moving out so that they can save and take in more.

Beca glances back at her car, still wondering why she's here… Except, god- she's _lonely_ and sad and- she's got the time and she can afford it. She works as an intern at a music production company and Deejays on the side and while she's not _rolling_ in cash, she's not hurting either. She's worked hard to get here, and she's going to continue to work hard until she gets to the top. She's got plenty of space, too. At least, room enough for her and a medium sized dog, maybe. And she already goes to the park most days to sit under a tree and mix - she can totally see herself bringing her dog there, or even to the beach!

Yeah, the more she thinks about it, the more appealing the idea becomes.

After a few more seconds of hyping herself up, she heads into the building and toward the front desk. There are two young girls about her age behind it - a blonde and brunette - chatting in between what looks like paperwork. As she gets closer, she notes their nametags, Jessica and Ashley. Jessica is the first to notice her and she smiles brightly. "Hi! How how can I help you?"

Beca pushes her aviators up over her eyes to rest on top of her head. "Uh- well, I was uhm- thinking about maybe adopting a dog?" It comes out more of a question than a statement, but Jessica just smiles enthusiastically, giving her co-worker a slight nod before stepping from behind the desk.

"Great! We've got all sorts of dogs just waiting to be adopted. Did you have an age in mind?" She asks, beginning to talk down a hall that is decorated with dog art.

Beca bites the inside of her cheek, thoughtful. "Uh- well, I've never really like… owned a dog, so I'm thinking maybe not a puppy." Jessica seems pleased with this as she stops outside a door with a sign that says 'DOGS'.

"Awesome! It always makes me happy to learn that someone is interested in adopting a dog and not a puppy. Everyone always wants a puppy. Puppies, you don't know what you're going to get and sometimes, they just turn around and dump them back here when they get older. But with dogs, we already know their temperament and personality. Now, for a first time dog owner, we've got some really relaxed and sweet dogs. Are you a runner or more of a stay at home person?"

Beca is anxious to go in and see the dogs, but she does her best to pay attention to the girl in front of her. "Not much of a runner. I mean, I walk most places, but I don't need something with too high energy."

Jessica nods, still smiling. "Alright, we've got plenty to choose from. Names and breeds, as well as anything else you might want to know are attached to the doors of the cages and if you'd like to get a closer look, just let me know. I'll wait near the door." She opens the door and the sound of dogs barking and whining can be heard. It's not overly loud, though. She offers Jessica a thankful smile before she starts down the long, cemented corridor.

The cages are big enough to house two dogs at a time if need be and there's a doggy door that leads outside to another cage, but Beca doesn't like the fact that everything is cement. She realizes though, that it's probably to help keep things clean, and the dogs all have cots to sleep on and a few toys. Still, it tugs on her heartstrings.

She stops outside of each cage to look at each dog and read their information. Some jump at the cage immediately, wanting attention and Beca grants it, hand reaching through the chainlink to scratch under chins and behind ears and receive licks. She wishes she could take them all home.

When she gets to the tenth cage, she finds a medium, long haired dog sitting in the corner with it's head down and pressed against the wall. It's coat doesn't look as shiny as Beca thinks it probably should, but Beca really likes the light red, almost diluted brown splotches with a few darker, chocolate brown patches with the rest of the coat being white.

Beca reads over the information sheet clipped to the cage door.

 **ANNIE / SP / F / 1 YR(S) | BORDER COLLIE MIX**

 _Annie was found abandoned outside of a house. It's speculated that her previous owners didn't want to take her to wherever they moved because she was found sitting on a mattress outside the house at the curb, ready to be picked up by the garbage truck. She's very shy and timid and really needs someone who has the time to spend with her to gain her trust and show her the love she deserves._

Beca's heart nearly shatters as she looks back into the cage. Who would abandon an animal like that, how could someone be so heartless? Then again, how could someone abandon their daughter, leave her crying in the rain and calling out for her daddy? Beca swallows thickly at the emotion building in her throat and steps forward, bending slightly to stick her hand through the cage. "C'mere, Annie." She calls gently, but the dog doesn't move from her position.

"She's been here for a while." Jessica says from behind her, sadly. "She won't play with any of the staff or accept treats. She eats, but not enough. We're all certain she's depressed."

Beca frowns and stands up. "Would you uh- open the gate? I mean can I-?"

Jessica smiles and Beca notes that she looks slightly hopeful. "Certainly! She's very sweet, despite everything." She moves and opens the gate, allowing Beca in.

Even with the sound of the gate opening, Annie doesn't budge, but Beca squats a few inches in front of the dog before reaching out and gently running her fingers over Annie's coat. The dog finally moves her head and Beca is surprised when she's greeted with one bright blue eyes and one coffee brown one. "Hi, girl." Beca says softly, honestly not really fond of the name choice. Beca moves her hand away but only just enough so that the dog can sniff it.

Annie's nearly pink nose brushes against Beca's knuckle before the dog dips her head and nudges Beca's hand, allowing the girl to pet her. Behind her, she hears Jessica gasp in surprise. "She's never outwardly sought affection before."

Beca smiles softly, keeping her eyes on the dog. "Yeah, well… I think she recognizes a kindred spirit." She says as she begins to gently brush her fingers over the dog's head. "I know what it's like to be abandoned." She says, more so to herself, but she misses the sad look Jessica gives her, clearly having heard the DJ. "I'll take her." Beca finally says, standing.

She turns to see Jessica smiling wide and nodding. "Great! Let's go fill out some paperwork, and I'll have Ashley come back and get miss Annie, here for you."

Beca smiles and nods, looking back at the dog who watches her with sad eyes. "I'll see you soon." Her attention is brought back to Jessica as she leads the way back to the courtesy desk. "How attached to the name do you think she is?"

Jessica chuckles. "Not a fan? That's alright. Most dogs are renamed, anyway. Some dogs don't even know the name they're given when they're brought here, so they'll easily adapt to a new name. Did you have a new name in mind? So that I can put it on her paperwork?" She asks as they near the desk.

Beca leans against the desk in thought for a moment, she tries to think of something witty, eyes looking around the room until she glances down at her hands resting on the desk. She looks over the tattoo of headphones on her wrist before looking back up at Jessica. "Melody- it might sound lame, but, it's just- I'm in the music business."

Jessica waves her hand. "It's perfect. I think it fits her. Soft and delicate."

Ashley looks up from the paperwork she'd been looking up. "Make a decision?"

Jessica grins wide as she looks down at her companion almost knowingly. "She's taking Annie, in cage ten."

Ashley seems to grin wider at this information. "Oh, good!"

Beca glances between the two of them, brows scrunching slightly. "You guys seem really eager to get her out of here. Is there something like- wrong with her?"

Both the girls look down sadly, but Ashley is quickly shaking her head. "Oh, no… It's just…" She frowns and looks at Jessica.

"She didn't have a lot of time left, ya know? She's been here so long…" Jessica finishes, glancing away.

Beca's heart drops to her stomach. "You mean like… they were gonna put her down?"

The both of them nod sadly. But then Jessica is smiling again. "So, you see, we're really happy that you came along when you did. Ashley and I were trying to devise some sort of plan to get her out of here, but thanks to you, we don't have to worry. So, should we get started on that paperwork?"

20 minutes later, Beca is walking out of the building with a dog. Annie- or Melody, as she's now called, looks more alert than before, big ears standing tall on her head with the right one flopping a little at the top. It makes Beca chuckle. And now that Beca can really see her better, she notes that Melody's face is all white with one chocolate splotch over her left eye - the blue one - with the rest of her coat a splotchy mixture of diluted browns that dips low down her legs and sides until it's cut off into more white. Ashley had called her a lilac merle. It was apparently a color in Border Collies, which seemed to be the dominant gene even though Melody was basically just a mutt.

Jessica had told her that while Melody was up to date on all her shots and spayed, Beca should make an appointment with her preferred vet so that she could find a primary one that she liked and could rely on. Jessica had also said it wasn't necessarily pressing matter, since their on staff vet had seen her a month ago for her flea and tick treatment, but that it would just be easier to have one that she knew she liked when the time came.

So after a trip to the pet store for a new collar and leash and some food and treats and- basically Beca is pretty sure she just bought the entire store, she goes home to do some research on veterinarians near her.

With Melody at her feet in front of the couch, Beca searches google. She comes across a place called ' _Paws And Claws Vet Clinic_ ' that has 4 out of 4 stars and raving reviews about the kind hearted Veterinarian that runs and owns it as well as the rest of the staff. So Beca makes an appointment for the next day for Melody's first checkup.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** _Here's part two of this - the bechloe seeds have been sewn. :P More interaction between Beca and Chloe next chapter, I promise._

* * *

Melody's first night home went relatively okay, though Beca didn't like that she barely ate and she still seemed pretty sad as she laid on the dog bed that Beca had bought her. It was something to talk to the vet about.

Which is what Beca is getting ready for. Already showered and dressed, she heads out toward the living room where Melody is sat near the couch, watching as Beca moves around. "You about ready, Melody?" Beca grabs the purple leash she had purchased yesterday and hooks it up to the matching collar. "Okay, let's get outta here."

They arrive at the clinic fifteen minutes later. As they enter, Beca notes how Melody sticks close to her side, tail between her legs. She frowns at the sight and reaches down to scratch at the collie's ear. "It's okay, Melody." She says quietly as they approach the desk.

The young girl behind it is smiling something bright and bubbly, coffee brown eyes looking down at Melody like she's resisting the urge to come from behind the desk and smother her in affection. "Hi! How can I help you?" She asks in a chipper voice, eyes moving to Beca.

Beca offers a polite smile in return as she reads the girl's name tag. 'Emily' is clipped to her pink, dog bone themed scrubs. "Uh, yeah. I've got an appointment for Melody. It's under Mitchell- Beca Mitchell."

Emily clicks a few things into the computer before she looks back up with the same cheerful smile as before. "Is this Melody's first time with us?" Beca nods. "Okay, if you can just fill this out, we'll get you two to a room." Emily hands Beca a clipboard with a few sheets of paperwork attached to it.

"Sure. Thanks." Beca takes the clipboard and moves to sit down. It asks pretty basic information of Beca and then of Melody, like whether she's spayed and what breed she is. After filling it out, Beca stands up and hands the clipboard back.

Emily takes it and sets it aside before coming out from behind the desk. "May I?" She gestures to the dog who sits close to Beca, eyes a little wide with anxiety.

"Uh, sure." Beca watches as Emily basically plops onto the floor in front of the dog and holds out her hand.

"Hi, pretty girl. It's alright, no need to be nervous. Would you like a treat?" Emily reaches into her scrub pocket and produces a small dog biscuit. Melody sniffs it but doesn't take it.

Beca looks down sadly at the interaction. "I just adopted her yesterday, they said she's depressed, so she doesn't take treats. Actually, I'm kind of concerned because she doesn't eat much and she's kind of thin."

Emily's smile disappears as she stands. "Oh," She starts, shoving her hands into her scrub pockets. "Poor thing. Well, I'm sure once she settles in, she'll perk up. Let's get you back there and get her weight and then Dr. Beale will be in."

The tall girl moves to open a door just beyond the desk, leading down a hallway. "Just guide her here onto the scale and have her stand as still as possible." Emily gestures to the platform.

Beca guides Melody onto the scale with a bit of reluctance on the dog's part but she manages to get the collie to stand still long enough for Emily to get her weight. "25.6 pounds." Emily says with a slight frown, writing it down in Melody's file. "Follow me, please."

They're led into a small room with a metal table in the center and a cabinet with a sink in the center of it in the back of the room. There's a chair in the corner which Beca moves to sit in. "Anything else you'd like Dr. Beale to know?" Emily asks, pen poised over the paperwork in her hands.

"I think this is mostly just so I can establish a vet for her. The main thing I wanna talk about is what I can do for her to help her… I don't know perk up." Beca says with a shrug.

Emily nods and writes a few things down before offering Beca a smile. "Dr. Beale will be here in a few." She says before turning to leave.

It's only a few minutes later that there's a knock on the door and then someone is entering. Beca's head snaps up to see a woman with bright hair and even brighter eyes and for a moment, the tiny brunette is struck with how beautiful she is.

The woman's red hair is pulled up into a bun and her cerulean eyes are bright and friendly as she meets Beca's. She takes her hand out of her lab coat pocket and holds it out. "Hi, I'm Dr. Chloe Beale. You must be Ms. Mitchell."

It takes half a second for Beca to react, still a little stunned at her own reaction to this woman's physical appearance. She shakes her head as if to clear her thoughts before standing quickly and offering her own hand. "Uh, just Beca, please. It's nice to meet you." She replies, mentally congratulating herself for not sounding too much like an idiot.

Dr. Beale smiles brightly and Beca is thrown off all over again. She watches as the redhead leans down to scratch Melody's head. "And you must be Melody." She says in a softer voice. As she stands back up to her full height, she checks the file in her hands. "So, Emily says you're concerned about Melody's eating habits, and that she might be depressed?" The veterinarian looks back up from the file in her hand.

"Yeah. I just adopted her yesterday and the staff said that she had been there for a while and that she was depressed. They said she eats, but not much and she won't accept treats and stuff and- look, to be honest, I've never owned a dog before… I just, I decided on a whim to go into the shelter and- I don't know," Beca scratches the back of her neck with the hand that's not holding the leash. "I just felt like I needed to get her… Which, I guess it's a good thing I did, because they said she was pretty close to being put down." She says on a frown.

The redhead frowns as she kneels in front of the dog. Beca watches as Dr. Beale checks Melody's gums and then gently scruffs her briefly before running her fingers down the dog's spine. "Well," She starts, brows furrowed in concentration. "She is actually a little bit underweight. Border Collie's are supposed to weigh about 30 to 45 pounds. She's not dehydrated. Her gums are nice and pink and her scruff goes back into place easily. I can feel her spine and pelvic, but it's not too prominent." She gives Melody a quick scratch before standing.

"Some dogs don't always do well in a shelter - it could be due to the stress of the environment and whatever she faced before she was brought to the shelter. I recommend mixing in a little bit of soft food with her hard food to make eating more enticing. Or, you could cook up some plain chicken and rice and feed it to her, it's a good way to fatten her up." Dr. Beale explains, easily. "But I'm not too worried. With time and love, I think she'll show you her full personality and really come out of her shell. Right now, she's just nervous and unsure of everything. It may take some patience, though."

Beca nods, taking in the information the other is giving her and making mental notes. "How many times a day should I feed her?"

"I'd say about 1 ½ cups of kibble twice a day if you choose to go that route, but whatever you choose, I would definitely feed her twice a day. Maybe a half a cup during lunch every now and then to help gain her weight back if she'll eat it." The veterinarian replies. Beca nods once more, absently reaching down to run her fingers through soft fur. "I assume she's up to date since you say she just came from the shelter. Did you put their information on the forms you filled out?"

"Yeah. It's on there."

The redhead nods. "Great, we'll just have them fax over her records so that we have it and we can remind you when it's time for her next shots. Did they tell you if she was on any kind of heartworm or flea and tick prevention?"

Beca scratches her ear, glancing down in thought. "Uh, I don't think she is…"

The redhead nods. "That's fine. We'll fix that. You've got a couple of options. You can get a heartworm pill and then a flea and tick prevention, or you can get one that's all in one. They last for a month. There's always risks with these sorts of things - side effects just like you would have if she were a person on medication. We like to give our patients Comfortis for the flea and tick prevention and Hartguard for the heartworms. Trifexis is another option, as it's all in one but it's been known to cause seizures in some dogs, but it's still an option."

The brunette blinks at the veterinarian before glancing down at Melody. It's a lot of information to take in and Beca is a little bit nervous that she won't do the dog justice. Apart of her is just now realizing that she is essentially responsible for keeping something other than herself healthy and happy and… alive. What had she gotten herself into?

"Don't worry, Ms. Mitchell - I can see you're a little overwhelmed and it's understandable. This is a lot to take in, especially for a first time dog owner. In the end, it's always worth it, at least in my opinion because dogs are a gift that humankind doesn't deserve." Dr. Beale says with a kind smile.

Beca nods and takes a breath. "Right, so I think I'll go with your recommendation."

The young vet smiles. "Great. The flea and tick medication will work in about thirty minutes and any fleas or ticks that might be on her will die and it will prevent them from living on her. The Hartguard will keep her protected from heartworms which are spread through mosquitos. I'll have Emily get the correct dosage to give to you on your way out. Did you have any other questions?"

"Uh, I don't - I don't think so, but…" The smaller girl fiddles with the end of the leash.  
As if sensing her question, Dr. Beale smiles. "If you have any questions or concerns, you can call here."

The next few days are filled with Beca learning about Melody and Melody coming more and more out of her shell. Beca learns that Melody really likes tennis balls. It happened on her third day with Beca. The tiny DJ had been trying to get the dog to play and out of the toys she had bought, when she brought the tennis ball out, Melody's ears perked high in interest and Beca was excited to see the slight wag of a tail.

Tentatively, Beca had tossed the ball across her wooden floors and watched in amusement and happiness as Melody scrambled after it before bringing it back and dropping it into Beca's lap. Beca had also learned on the fourth night that Melody didn't like thunder… like at all. The moment the sounds rumbled throughout the sky, the dog had bolted to hide in Beca's closet and cried when it got too loud.

It's what prompted Beca to call the vet office the next day.

"Paws And Claws Vet Clinic, this is Emily, how can I help you?"

"Uh, yeah, hi - this is Beca Mitchell. My dog, Melody was just there a few days ago and Dr. Beale said to call if I had any questions and-" She pauses to gather her thoughts better, knowing she's rambling. "Anyway, I just recently found out that Melody is like- super fu-freaking terrified of thunder. I wanted to know if there was more I could do for her? Because she was hiding in my closet last night and just- terrified."

"Oh! Here, let me get Dr. Beale! I'm sure she'd be better equipped at giving you some suggestions." Emily replies cheerily.

"N-no I don't want to bo-" But it's too late, Emily has put her on hold.

A moment later, another voice comes over the line that Beca knows is Dr. Beale's and for some reason her heart stutters in her chest. "Hi, Ms. Mitchell? This is Dr. Beale. Emily said you had some questions?"

Beca clears her throat. "I-I'm sorry, I don't mean to bug you. I just figured your receptionist would answer my questions, not you personally - I mean I know you're busy and stuff and-"

The vet stops her mid sentence. "Ms. Mitchell, I specifically told Emily that if you called with questions, to please get me so that I could answer them personally." She says softly, smile evident in her voice.

"Oh," Beca says, face flushing for reasons she's not really sure of. "Uhm- thanks. I-I appreciate it."

"Of course. So, what seems to be the issue?"

Beca proceeds to tell the veterinarian the same story she told Emily, pacing as she talks.

"There are a few things you could try. Firstly, don't excessively coddle or over-soothe her. She'll instantly pick up on the blatant pandering and it'll freak her out more. Basically, you want to act like nothing's wrong, like it's no big deal." The veterinarian states factually. "Pick a quiet place to sit with her, give her a nice comfy place to rest, her favorite toy as a distraction. Soft music can even help. You could also try to distract her with trying to play or with favorite treats. There is also something called a thundershirt, as ridiculous as it sounds, but we've heard pretty good feedback. The gentle pressure around them seems to help. Melatonin is another option, it's an over the counter hormone and it's been known to keep some dogs calm."

Beca listens carefully to everything the veterinarian has to say, deciding she'll try everything if she has to.

"Was there anything else?" Dr. Beale asks curiously, after Beca thanks her for her help.

"Uh, no. That's it… For now. I'm sure I'll call for another lame reason or another." Beca chuckles nervously.

Dr. Beale laughs on the other end and Beca can't help the soft smile that creases her lips at the sound of it, clearly pleased that she had been the cause of it. "That's alright. You can call for whatever you need."

Beca smiles at that, cheeks tinging pink. "Thanks. I- uh, appreciate it."

"Sure, thing. Have a great day, Ms. Mitchell."

"Beca." The tiny DJ corrects gently. "It's weird to be called Ms. Mitchell." She chuckles nervously.

"Alright," Dr. Beale says in a different tone than before - one she doesn't quite understand. "Have a good rest of your day, Beca."

Beca nods even though she knows the other can't see. "Yeah, you too."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** _Here's part three! There's an epilogue after this. (:_

* * *

Over the course of a week, Melody comes more and more out of her shell. Beca learns that Melody likes music. Nothing too loud, just soft acoustics and piano notes and gentle singing, especially during storms. It just seemed to sooth her. Beca also learns that Melody likes to 'sing, herself'. But only if Beca is singing.

She had been standing under the spray of the shower, singing softly when, a low howl soon followed and it had startled her so much that she nearly slipped. She'd poked her head out to see Melody standing in the doorway with her head thrown back mid-howl and Beca had laughed. And then she continued to sing, all the while laughing every time the collie let out a howl.

Their first time on the beach had been amusing as well. It was evident that Melody's previous owners had never taken her there, because when they headed toward the water, Melody tried to pounce on the small waves that rushed over the sand. She tried to chase the seagulls, too, but the leash kept her restrained. Beca wasn't confident yet in letting the dog run free, yet. She wasn't sure if she'd come back, or if she was okay around other dogs, yet. So she tried to jog alongside the collie so she could fulfill the need to chase the birds.

It's 5 days after Beca's phone call to the vet when she's frantically calling again.

"Paws and Claws Vet Clinic, this Emily - how can I help you?"

Beca runs a hand through her hair, glancing down at Melody and the ripped up chocolate wrapper. "Uh, hey- this is Beca Mitchell. M-My dog, Melody, she got into some chocolate and-"

"Oh! Ms. Mitchell, just a second. I'll get Dr. Beale."

A few moments later, Dr. Beale's soothing voice fills the line. "Ms. Mitchell? This is Dr. Beale, what's going on?" She asks gently.

Beca starts pacing down her small hallway between her living room and kitchen. "I stupidly left a chocolate bar on my coffee table and Melody got into it and- dogs are allergic to chocolate, right? Like, I mean- that's common knowledge, right? And god I-"

Dr. Beale gently cuts Beca off. "Ms. Mitchell, take a breath, accidents happen. First of all, how much chocolate was it, and what kind?"

Beca stops her pacing and takes a deep breath. "Like- half of a Cookies and Creme Hershey's bar."

"You have nothing to worry about, then. Melody would have to ingest 145 lbs of white chocolate for it to harm her. Is she acting any different?"

Beca glances over at Melody who's sitting next to the couch, watching Beca curiously. "Uh- n-no."

Dr. Beale's smile is evident through the phone. "She should be fine. Don't beat yourself up over this, Ms. Mitchell- you'd be surprised at how often this happens. But keep in mind, in case she manages to get into some more chocolate in the future, the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is, okay?"

Beca's shoulders sag in relief. "Thanks. I-uh, I'm sorry for the amount of times I've called." She says awkwardly.

There's a soft laugh on the other end that makes Beca's stomach drop a little, in a good way - like she's on a roller coaster. "It's really okay. I think it's cute."

And then Beca is scoffing. "Cute? No, I don't do cute." She replies, though she can't help the smirk that itches at the corner of her mouth because this a little bit feels like the other is flirting with her..

"Hmm," The veterinarian hums gently. "Well, you should. Cute looks good on you."

And just like that, Beca's back on that roller coaster and it's twisting and turning quickly, causing her stomach to do somersaults. "I uh-" She clears her throat and licks her lips. "Uhm, thanks?"

Dr. Beale lets out this sort of low chuckle, like she knows exactly what she's doing to Beca, but then she's speaking in a more professional tone again, as if she hadn't just totally threw Beca through a loop. "I should get going, I've got an appointment in a few minutes. Even though I'm confident that Melody will be fine, keep an eye on her. Have a good day, Beca."

The tiny brunette swallows in attempt to wet her dry throat, now a little shocked that the veterinarian called her by her name. She manages to shake herself out of her stupor to thank the woman and awkwardly say goodbye.

When she hangs up, she stares down at her phone in her hand, wondering if the other had really been flirting with her, or if Beca is just imagining it. She decides not to dwell on it, though and moves to clean up the small mess and make herself a little lunch.

Except over the next couple of days, Beca does dwell on it. She can't get the veterinarian out of her head. So much so, that she contemplates coming up with reasons to call the other woman, but shoots it down every time because she knows the veterinarian is probably busy and she doesn't have to answer Beca's stupid questions personally; so she shouldn't take advantage of that offer just because she has a stupid, silly crush on the redhead.

On the third day of thinking about Dr. Chloe Beale, Beca huffs at herself in frustration. She's only met the woman one damn time and talked to her a handful after, why the fuck is she so infatuated?

Beca decides not to think about it any longer and as she glances out her kitchen window, she decides that maybe a walk to the park will help clear her head. She moves to grab a couple of things - her notebook and pen, and her ipod and headphones in case she gets ideas for new mixes - before moving to the side table in the hall to grab her keys.

As soon as she grabs Melody's leash the collie starts to do little circles, tail wagging excitedly. Beca smirks and rolls her eyes affectionately because she really does love this goofball, even if it's been barely a week and a half. "You wanna go bye-byes?" She asks, voice taking on a more excited tone. (Also when the fuck did she start saying 'bye-byes?' How fucking queerballs.)

Melody lets out an excited bark and stands in front of the door before looking back at Beca like, 'are you coming?!'

Chuckling, Beca moves to clip the leash onto Melody's collar and opens the door to start their walk to the park.

Settling under Beca's favorite tree, she decides this was definitely a good idea. It's a little warmer out than she'd like, but the breeze makes up for it. Melody settles beside her, content to people watch and just be close to Beca.

The tiny DJ spends a few minutes just watching everyone until her eyes spot someone familiar - someone that causes her heart to beat a little faster.

Dr. Chloe Beale is walking what - Beca's pretty sure is actually a fucking small pony - The dog is huge and would probably come up to Beca's hip, maybe taller. He's got a black face and a brown and brindle coat. His tongue is lolling out to the side as he trots- well more like lumbers next to the woman.

Before Beca can think anything else, she realizes that the redhead has spotted her and is waving as she heads toward her. Well shit, so much for not thinking about her, she thinks as she stands, brushing herself off.

"Beca, hi!" She says chipperly, as she comes to stand in front of the woman, though keeping a respectable distance. Probably for Melody's sake, Beca thinks.

"Dr. Beale, hey. How are you?" She asks, eyes dropping to the large- beast beside the woman. His ears are long and floppy and his eyes are bright blue, almost as bright as his owner's. Fitting.

The veterinarian smiles. "It's Chloe. If I'm to call you by your name, then you have to call me Chloe." She says with a wink. "And I'm doing great, just enjoying my day off with my baby boy, here." Her voice transitioning into a soft coo as she scratches the large dog's head.

Beca lofts a brow and stares at the dog a moment. "What kind of dog is he? Because I'm not entirely convinced that he's not a small pony."

Chloe laughs and it's like music to Beca's ears. She decides she really likes being the cause of it. "He's a Great Dane. His name is Moose."

"Ah," Beca nods gently, still a little in awe at his size. "How much does Moose weigh, out of curiosity?"

The redhead smirks. "He's roughly around 180 pounds."

Beca's eyes widen and her mouth drops open. "Holy shit, dude! He weighs more than me!"

The redhead chuckles and scratches his ear. "They can get up to 200 pounds."

"How do you like- I mean does he walk you, instead of the other way around?"

"No. He's very gentle and sweet." Chloe replies easily, smile widening a little, clearly amused at Beca's wonderment.

The tiny DJ shakes her head as if to clear it. She could see it, the dog looked a little goofy, too. "That's cool, dude." Beca says after a moment.

"So, how are things with Melody?" Chloe asks, nodding to the collie sitting beside Beca, surprisingly not at all bothered by the giant dog in front of her.

Beca glances beside her and smiles. "Oh, she's doing great. She's really come out of her shell." As if to prove Beca's point the dog moves slowly to sniff at Moose, curiously.

Chloe watches them both carefully, allowing a little slack to Moose's lead so that he can give a return sniff. The two spend a few seconds sniffing at each other before Melody drops to a play bow in front of him, Moose doing the same.

Beca laughs in surprise, heart swelling at the sight, because it's seriously stupidly adorable.

"Well, looks like they've become fast friends." Chloe says with a soft grin. But then her brow is quirking and she's smiling coyly. "Maybe we should follow their lead?" Before Beca can even process that suggestion, the redhead continues on, smile only growing. "Maybe I could possibly take you out on a date?"

Beca's brain short circuits for half a second because- is this actually happening? The hot veterinarian was asking her out. "I knew you were flirting with me." She says after she breaks out of her stupor.

Chloe smirks and looks away, feigning innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking about." But then she's looking back at Beca, brow raising expectantly. "But seriously, I'd really like to take you out- if it isn't too weird for you."

"Dude, totally, yeah." Beca says with a grin. Heart pounding excitedly in her chest. "I'd really like that."

The redhead beams and reaches out, fingers curling around Beca's wrist lightly. "I think we're gonna be fast friends, too." She winks and Beca is back on that roller coaster as it goes upside down, causing her heart to beat hard against her ribcage. "I uh, yeah." She swallows the sudden dryness in her throat and watches as Chloe releases her soft grip on Beca's wrist and holds out her hand expectantly. "Give me your phone."

Beca doesn't even hesitate, she reaches into her back pocket and unlocks her phone before holding it out to the redhead.

Chloe promptly takes it, fingers tapping rapidly on the screen before she's smiling and handing it back. "I saved my number in your phone and sent myself a text. I'll call you."

And Beca is pretty sure the smile on her face is embarrassingly dopey and stupid as she nods and slips her phone back into her pocket. "I'll see you later, Beca." Chloe says as she backs away before turning around and starting back toward the path she had been taking earlier.

"See you, Chloe!" Beca calls after her, still a little shocked that that just happened. She plops back down next to Melody and wraps an arm around her. "You're literally the best thing that's ever happened to me." She says with a grin, chuckling as the collie licks the side of her face.


End file.
